Microwave Cooking

By Barbara Kafka

Published: May 12, 1993

RISOTTO is a perfect example to show that the microwave oven provides benefits that have little to do with its acclaimed rapidity. In fact, cooking risotto in the microwave is only marginally quicker than cooking it on top of the stove. The advantages are a consistent and superior finished dish made in a cool kitchen without the constant stirring and vigilance of the cooking. This factor frees the cook to do other things, like making a main course if the risotto is to be a first course, or washing salad greens, or setting the table.

The attentive cook will also note certain apparent realities of microwave cooking that these recipes illustrate. With microwave ovens, the recipe cannot always be increased to serve more people. To properly cook seafood risotto, it is best to have most of the shellfish in a single layer on top of the rice. You are limited therefore by the size of your oven and pan.

A dish like spring vegetable risotto, with a large quantity of ingredients, takes longer to cook in the microwave than one with fewer ingredients; also, it cooks less evenly in lower-wattage ovens. Therefore, in lower-wattage ovens, it is better to cook smaller amounts of these recipes. Lower-wattage ovens will evaporate less liquid than higher-wattage ovens, and it is often important to reduce the amount of cooking liquid used.

Shrimp broth is a thrifty use of the microwave. When using shelled shrimp, ask the store for the shells, or save them yourself by putting them in a bag in the freezer until you have enough to make a reasonable amount of broth that can, in turn, also be frozen for future use. This homemade broth can replace the salty clam broth often suggested in recipes.

1. Place the olive oil in a 10-inch quiche dish. Cook, uncovered, at 100 percent power in a high-power oven for 2 minutes. Stir in onions and cook for 4 minutes. Stir in rice and cook for 4 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the broth, wine, garlic, salt, saffron and cayenne.

2. Stir in the fennel. Pour the broth mixture into the dish and stir well. Cook for 9 minutes. Stir. Arrange the clams around the inside edge of the dish. Cook for 5 minutes. Stir the shrimp into the rice in the center of the dish. Place the mussels over the shrimp, hinge-side down. Cook for 4 minutes.

3. Remove from the oven and cover the dish with a clean kitchen towel; let stand for 12 minutes. Uncover and serve.

Yield: 4 servings.

Low-power variation: Use only 1 1/4 cups broth. Cook olive oil as in Step 1 for 3 minutes. Cook onions for 6 minutes. Cook rice for 6 minutes. Cook with broth as in Step 2 for 12 minutes. Cook with clams for 8 minutes. Cook with shrimp and mussels for 6 minutes. Finish recipe as above.

1. Place the butter in a 14-by-9-by-2-inch oval dish. Cook, uncovered, at 100 percent power in a high-power oven for 2 minutes. Stir in onions and cook for 4 minutes. Stir in rice and cook for 4 minutes.

2. Remove dish from oven, and stir in mushrooms. Return to oven, and cook for 3 minutes. Stir and cook for 2 minutes longer. Stir in broth. Cook for 9 minutes. Stir well and cook for 9 minutes longer.

3. Remove from oven, and cover the dish with a clean kitchen towel; let stand for 10 minutes. Uncover, and stir in salt, pepper and cheese. Serve immediately.

1. Place the butter and olive oil in a 14-by-9-by-2-inch oval dish. Cook, uncovered, at 100 percent power in a high-power oven for 2 minutes. Stir in rice, and cook for 4 minutes.

2. Stir in 4 cups of the broth, and cook for 9 minutes. Remove dish from oven, and stir in the zucchini and peas. Return dish to the oven, and cook for 7 minutes. Stir in the asparagus, scallions and 1 cup of the broth. Cook for 3 minutes.

3. Remove dish from oven. Stir in the dill, salt and pepper. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in cheese and remaining broth, if desired. Let stand for 1 to 2 minutes longer, and serve.

Yield: 10 servings.

Low-power variation: Halve all ingredients, and cook in a 13-by-9-by-2-inch dish. Cook butter and oil for 3 minutes. Cook rice for 7 minutes. Stir in 2 cups of the broth and cook for 13 minutes. Stir in the zucchini and peas and cook for 10 minutes. Stir in asparagus, scallions and 1/2 cup of broth, and cook for 4 minutes. Finish recipe as above.